Gurdwara committee finds answer in manmade nests to save birds

In a bid to save birds, members of Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Sarabha Nagar, have installed manmade nests at their homes as well as on trees.

The gurdwara committee is also seeking suggestions from residents to make this project successful, so that birds on verge of extinction can be saved, besides encouraging residents to feed birds.

According to experts, many species of birds are on the verge of extinction due to loss of habitat. Therefore, manmade nests can provide relief to birds, which are unable to make nests due to cutting of trees.

“We get motivation from Guru Har Rai, the seventh guru of Sikhs, who always came forward to make the environment better and the Gurbani also inspires us to do this. Earlier, we had planted different kinds of plants, whose survival rate is more than 95%. Now, we have decided to save the birds by installing manmade nests on trees and homes,” said Jatinder Singh Sandhu, president of the gurdwara committee.

“People are giving us suggestions to save birds. If we provide birds manmade nests, they will definitely come to residential areas. These nests will be installed at different places,” he added.

Recalling the old days when birds could be commonly seen chirping in residential areas, Gurbaksh Singh, a senior citizen who provides services at the gurdwara, said, “The gurdwara committee members have decided to promote manmade nests so that birds could be saved by providing them shelter. I use scrap to make nests for birds.”

While appreciating the efforts made by the gurdwara committee members, Premjit Singh, head of floriculture and landscape department, Punjab Agricultural University, said, “Due to high pollution levels and pesticide use in fields, birds are increasingly becoming prone to extinction. The polluted food due to pesticides in fields is toxic for birds. Also, due to cutting of trees in residential areas, the birds usually cannot find space to make their nests. Therefore, manmade nest could provide them relief.”